Meeting Chief Justice Cho, President Lee Asks "How Have You Been?"... Cho Smiles Without a Word

[Anchor]

Another scene that drew attention today (November 2) was the encounter between President Lee Jae-myung and Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae. It was their first meeting since Chief Justice Cho officially rejected the presidential office's request to re-recommend nominees for Supreme Court justices.

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin reports on the atmosphere of the meeting.

[Reporter]

As Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae arrived at the main building of the National Assembly, where lawmakers of the People Power Party were holding a picket protest, shouts of encouragement burst out.

["Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, stay strong!"]

Eight minutes later, when President Lee Jae-myung passed by, protests followed.

["Stop the push for impeachment to cancel trials! Stop intimidating the judiciary!"]

President Lee bowed to the People Power Party lawmakers before moving into the reception room.

He shook hands one by one with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties who were waiting for him,

[President Lee Jae-myung: "Nice to see you. I see you often on television."]

and also briefly greeted Chief Justice Cho.

[President Lee Jae-myung: "Chief Justice, how have you been? Good to see you."]

Chief Justice Cho offered only a smile without any particular reply.

The encounter between the two was their first since September 22, when Chief Justice Cho rejected Cheong Wa Dae's request to re-nominate Supreme Court justice candidates.

Chief Justice Cho remained in his seat looking straight ahead even after President Lee concluded his policy speech and exited the chamber.

The People Power Party leveled fierce criticism, taking issue with the greeting President Lee offered.

[Jeong Jeom-sik / Floor Leader, People Power Party: "With the Democratic Party, which he is pulling the strings behind, shaking the independence of the judiciary through talks of impeachment and a parliamentary probe, how could he ask him right to his face, 'How have you been?'"]

The Democratic Party plans to report a request for a parliamentary investigation into Chief Justice Cho at a plenary session in three days.

With deep divisions between the rival parties over both the budget bill and the parliamentary probe, the National Assembly's year-end session is also expected to be far from smooth.

(Video by Oh Young-woo and Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Jeon Min-gyu)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.